Doug, 57, of San Diego, was unemployed for three years. He finally found work — with no health benefits, no sick leave, and no vacation days — as an airport shuttle driver.

“It is a known fact that age discrimination keeps many hard-working Americans like myself out of work, when we could be still contributing to society as active, dedicated, and functioning working people,” Doug says. “I might as WELL be unemployed for the amount of money I'm actually taking in. God Bless America.”

David of Los Angeles lost his job with a web hosting company in early 2009.

“I have been unemployed for two and a half years now, and every prospective employer with whom I have been in contact has told me that they did not want to hire me because I was unemployed, or had been unemployed for a lengthy period of time,” David says. “This is blatant discrimination!”

Wayne, 59, of Mount Laurel, New Jersey, is unemployed and faces both types of prejudice.

“First, I face the problem that companies reject people my age, as if we have forgotten how to work effectively, and second, I face rejection because I am classified as a ‘long term’ unemployed. Frankly, I would be a great asset to any company, but there are way too many people looking for jobs, not nearly enough opportunities, combined with having both of my hands tied behind my back. My health care and my unemployment benefits are long gone, and so are my prospects for the latter part of my life.”

Pam’s daughter has a graduate degree — as well as loans that require payment, and a car with more than 300,000 miles on it.

“We joke about her going south and living in a tent and becoming a part of the new hobo community of the current recession/depression,” Pam says. “Her fiancé is in the same boat, and worked last year as a substitute teacher with no benefits. These are hard working young adults who graduated with honors, are smart and flexible. I am afraid that they will be charter members of the new ‘lost generation’ who will always be behind in their lives and careers based upon the era in which they grew up and graduated from college.”

Mike of Rockland, Maine, was laid off in December 2010 from his position as a designer with a locally owned building materials supplier.

“Whatever business there is has been gobbled up by Lowes and Home Depot selling imported product and paying low wages without benefits wherever they can,” Mike says.

Alyce of Stanhope, New Jersey, lost her well paid IT job in 2008, has gone through her savings and retirement account, filed bankruptcy, defaulted on her mortgage, and is now waiting for the bank to take away her home.

“I exist day to day on a very small monthly pension, not enough for rent or heat or health insurance,” Alyce says. “I am 58, female, and alone. I do not know what my future holds, and I am afraid. There are many like me, and we have been forgotten.”

Kate of Novato, California, faced two layoffs and now works 12 hours a week tutoring elementary school children.

“I live with my mother now because I would have been homeless otherwise,” Kate says. “I am 51 and used to make about $20 an hour with benefits, etc.”

Crystal of Pullman, Washington, has been unemployed since August 2010 and has two small kids.

“To be honest I’ve never been so hungry in my entire life because I will let my kids eat what’s in the house before I eat,” Crystal says. “And often me and my husband go without. Please bring jobs to America.”

Jean of Ohio, says her brother was a chemist who was laid off twice, could not find work, exhausted his savings, and eventually gave up.

“In total desperation and with no hope, Bob hung himself in the attic of the home he was about to lose, leaving his wife, children, family, and friends desolate,” Jean says. “That's what the unemployment crisis is doing while Congress diddles with everything BUT job creation. Shame on each of them.”

J. of Bowling Green, Ohio, is among the fortunate; she found a job earlier this year.

“The extended unemployment benefits helped me make my mortgage payments and pay my utility bills,” J. says. “With those benefits I was also able to create demand for essential products, such as food and medicine, which helped other people providing the services I needed keep their jobs.”

Eugene of Princeton, New Jersey, tells the story of his daughter, who graduated with a degree in marine biology and wanted to help preserve New Jersey’s vital coastal wetlands and local marine species.

“Just as she graduated she found that our Governor Christie was to axe what he must have felt were useless jobs staffing parks, seashore, and wetlands areas. My daughter has been out of full-time employment for nearly two years now. We are not talking huge salaries here but workers who are passionate about their jobs and care about the ‘other than human’ vital citizens of our state.”

Gregory, formerly of New Jersey, couldn’t find work as a teacher in a state where tens of thousands of teachers have been laid off. To find a job teaching, he had to leave the coutry .

“It's the easiest way for me to put my education to use, get government-supported health care, a pension, and earn a living wage,” Gregory says. “And I'm not the only one. There are thousands of us here in Korea. And thousands more in Japan, China, Europe, the Middle East, and South America. All of us young, healthy, and well educated. But for many of us the best way to find a steady job or pay off a student loan is to leave America. People like me should be teaching English in America, helping Americans, and paying American taxes.”